Fostering In
The North East
Regions we cover in the North East
With over 30 years experience in foster care, we are the UK’s largest dedicated fostering charity. When you choose to foster with TACT, you will receive a generous fostering allowance, 24/7 support and access to a comprehensive training programme. You could join our Fostering North East team!
Sadly, there are over 5,500 children in the North East who cannot be looked after by their own family. We are urgently recruiting more foster carers in the North East who can provide care and support to some of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people. You could join our Fostering North East team!
We are recruiting foster carers all across the North East, particularly in:
Use our interactive map to discover the areas we cover in the North East.
Meet The Area Manager
Richard Leech, is our Area Manager for the North East. Richard manages a wonderful team of social workers in the area and ensures that our team of foster carers are fully supported.
“I’ve worked in children’s services for 27 years in a variety of roles. After becoming social work qualified, I worked in child protection for a number of years. Following this, I started working in fostering, initially for a private fostering agency. However, it didn’t sit right with me that someone was making a profit off these vulnerable children and so I moved to work for TACT in the charitable sector.”
– Richard Leech
Meet your Fostering Recruitment Manager
Once you make a fostering enquiry with us, you’ll be connected with your local Fostering Recruitment Manager. They will be your dedicated point of contact throughout the entire process. Your Fostering Recruitment Manager is there to support you every step of the way, from answering your initial questions and helping you understand what fostering involves, to guiding you through the application and assessment stages.
“I really enjoy my role, and the opportunities it provides me in terms of meeting new people and supporting them to become approved foster carers. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is seeing people learn about themselves during the assessment process and recognise strengths they didn’t even realise they had.”
Rachel, Fostering Recruitment Manager (North East)
Read more about Rachel
I’m Rachel, and I am the Fostering Recruitment Manager for the Yorkshire and North East region. I have worked for TACT since 2022 with my previous experiences being in both adoption and fostering. I chose to work for TACT as my values really align with the charity’s work and ethos and I have found it really rewarding to work for a fostering service that puts any profit back into its service for our children and young people – as well as promoting our carer wellbeing and support. I am a strong believer that in order to provide the best quality care and stability for our children and young people, we have to make sure we look after our carers – and that is exactly what TACT does!
I really enjoy my role, and the opportunities it provides me in terms of meeting new people and supporting them to become approved foster carers. One of the most rewarding parts of my role is seeing people learn about themselves during the assessment process and recognise strengths they didn’t even realise they had. I know people can sometimes be put off exploring their interest in fostering; feeling that their past experiences may be a barrier, but often the hardest challenges we go through evidence just how much strength and resilience we actually have – a perfect combination for fostering!
My role as fostering recruitment manager is to be alongside you throughout your journey to approval. I make sure your assessment runs as smoothly as possible and that you have access to everything you need to help prepare you for the fostering role. I work closely with your assessor to keep everything on track, but also to be a listening ear if you have any worries during the assessment process.
Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, going for walks and going to see live music and comedy. However I am also partial to a lazy night in with a binge worthy boxset or cheesy film!
If you’ve been thinking about fostering but haven’t yet made that decision to pick up the phone and get the ball rolling – I would really encourage you to. At TACT we know how big a decision it is to foster and you’ll experience no pressure from us – just the opportunity to ask as many questions as you like and learn if fostering could be a good fit for you.
Our TACT North East Community
Moments captured of our incredible foster carers and staff, across TACT in the North East.
Can I foster in the North East?
The first step is to check that you fulfil the basic general fostering requirements:
- Are you at least 21 years old?
- Do you have at least one spare bedroom in your home?
- Are you a full-time resident of the UK, or do you have indefinite leave to remain?
If you have answered ‘yes’ to all three questions, you have fulfilled the initial criteria. We would now like to talk to you further about why you would like to become a foster carer, and ask you some more questions.
Foster carers come to us for many reasons and stay with us, because we help them do the most rewarding job in the world.
Together we transform the lives of children and young people, giving them the chance to lead happy, loving, fulfilled lives. At TACT we are more than just a fostering agency; as a charity we put our foster carers and the children they care for at the heart of everything that we do. Choosing to become a foster carer is one of the most rewarding decisions you will ever make, and we will be by your side every step of the way making sure that you feel valued, encouraged and supported – that is why 98% of our foster carers would recommend fostering with TACT.
why foster with tact in The North East?
- Support for new carers.
All new TACT North East foster carers will be allocated a foster carer buddy, to provide informal support and guidance. - Local Support and Wellbeing groups for existing carers.
Monthly face-to-face support groups, where carers connect and engage in activities designed for their wellbeing, including Wellbeing Walks and Lunches. These gatherings offer a supportive community and opportunities to recharge and share experiences. - Support for young people.
We provide a variety of engaging activities for our young people, including residential trips and exciting outings to indoor trampoline parks, climbing centres, theme parks, water parks, and even pantomime outings in the lead up to Christmas. - Supporting your own children.
We understand that your own children play an important role in the fostering household. As such, our ‘Children Who Foster’ events provide your own children with an opportunity to socialise with other young people who make an amazing contribution to fostering. These activities often include trampolining, bowling, and cinema trips, as well as online support groups tailored for birth children. - Therapeutic support
Monthly Therapeutic support group with a psychotherapist, and support for carers through 1:1 consultations.
Rated As ‘Good’ By Ofsted
Following an inspection in February 2025, Ofsted have announced that TACT Yorkshire & the North East has been rated ‘Good’ for its work with foster carers and looked after children.
“Children speak positively about their foster carers and the carers’ supervising social workers. Supervising social workers visit both the foster carers and the children regularly. Children say they enjoy these visits and that they help them to get to know the supervising social workers well.” – Ofsted 2025
Foster Carer Stories
Discover what other TACT foster carers across the North East have to say about their experiences.
“Fostering is not always easy, but it is always rewarding”
Debra became a foster carer with TACT Yorkshire in 2024 and has found that fostering is not always easy, but it is always rewarding.
“We need to show compassion”
Yasmin and Mohammad, TACT foster carers since 2020. The couple share some of their motivations and challenges they have overcome and tips they have learnt along the way
“I cried when TACT agreed to let me foster”
Before I got my first foster child, I was excited, nervous and fearful. What if I didn’t know what to say or do to make them feel safe and wanted? I had waited so long to foster, then suddenly, it was about to happen. I just had to put my best foot forward, trust in myself, and jump in.
Fostering Information Events
- March 30, 2026
- East Midlands, London, North West, Scotland, South West, Virtual, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire & North East,
- Time: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Virtual Information Event – 30th March
Our virtual information event on 30th March is the perfect opportunity to learn more from the comfort of your own home.
- April 8, 2026
- Virtual, Yorkshire & North East,
- Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Yorkshire & North East Virtual Information Event – 8th April
Live in Yorkshire or the North East? Our virtual information event on 8th April is the perfect opportunity to learn more from the comfort of your own home.
- April 16, 2026
- East Midlands, London, North West, Scotland, South West, Virtual, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire & North East,
- Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Virtual Information Event – 16th April
Our virtual information event on 16th April is the perfect opportunity to learn more from the comfort of your own home.
- April 29, 2026
- East Midlands, London, North West, Scotland, South West, Virtual, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire & North East,
- Time: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Virtual Information Event – 29th April
Our virtual information event on 29th April is the perfect opportunity to learn more from the comfort of your own home.
- May 12, 2026
- Virtual, Yorkshire & North East,
- Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Yorkshire & North East Virtual Information Event – 12th May
Live in Yorkshire or the North East? Our virtual information event on 12th May is the perfect opportunity to learn more from the comfort of your own home.
News & Updates
Keeping you connected with what’s happening in your local area.
TACT Yorkshire & North East Half-term Fun!
Our Yorkshire & North East teams organised an engaging half term for our young people, mixing fun with some learning!
TACT Welcome Government Plans for 10,000 New Foster Carers
The government has revealed a major foster carer recruitment drive, with the aim of recruiting up to 10,000 new foster carers.
Quad-tastic Event For Our North East Young People
TACT Yorkshire & North East took six of our young people quad biking – something that they had never experienced before!
North East Young People Embrace The Outdoors at Residential
We took 18 of your young people to a residential at Bewerley Park in Harrogate, to experience some exciting outdoor activities!
John Lewis Donation Funds North East Children’s Activities
A ‘Community Matters’ Scheme, set up by John Lewis, has funded events for TACT young people in Yorkshire & North East.
TACT Foster Carers Attend Buckingham Palace For MBE
We’re so proud of our foster carers, Barbara and Rob, for being awarded an MBE in the recent honours. Read their reaction.
Start Your Fostering Journey
